LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 181

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Theology and Church Relations
and
Whereas, The two seminaries are now implementing the Specific
Ministry Pastor (SMP) program mandated by the 2007 LCMS convention; and
Whereas, The 2007 “Resolution 5-02 Task Force” reported in the
2010 Convention Workbook concerning situations currently served
by licensed lay deacons, but after much debate 2010 Res. 5-03A
“To Address Lay Deacons” was referred back to committee and not
brought back for action; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Central Illinois District in convention express
its regret at the current situation in the Synod at large concerning men
who are conducting Word and Sacrament ministry without being publicly called to, and placed in, the Office of the Holy Ministry; and
be it further
Resolved, That the Central Illinois District in convention memorialize the 2013 LCMS convention to direct the Council of Presidents
to develop a plan and lay out procedures:
(A) So that all men who are currently engaged in Word and Sacrament ministry without being publicly called to, and placed in, the Office
of the Holy Ministry may either be enrolled in the SMP program or
cease from all forms of Word and Sacrament ministry by the end of
2019; and
(B) So that all current Synod and District tracks, programs, licensing
procedures, etc. that train men for Word and Sacrament ministry without
the benefit of being publicly called to, and placed in, the Office of the
Holy Ministry can be phased out in favor of the SMP program by the
end of 2019; and
(C) So that the Council of Presidents can report on this plan to the
2016 LCMS convention for approval, emendation, and adoption.

and be it finally
Resolved, That the Central Illinois District in convention memorialize the Synod to make necessary changes to the SMP program in
order to ensure that the men enrolled in the SMP program be called
“deacons” rather than pastors and that they not be ordained or called
as pastors until they complete the full SMP program.
Central Illinois District
4-38

To Revisit Practice of Lay Ministry in LCMS
Whereas, The LCMS Constitution states, “The Synod, and every
member of Synod, accepts without reservation… [a]ll the Symbolical
Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God” (Art. II 2), which
are otherwise known as the Lutheran Confessions; and
Whereas, The original German of Article V of the Augsburg
Confession states that God established the “preaching office”
(Predigtamt) for teaching the Gospel and administering the
Sacraments, which has historically been understood as the pastoral
office (AC V 1, Concordia Triglotta [Northwestern Publishing House,
1927], pp. 44–45); and
Whereas, The original Latin of Article XIV of the same Augsburg
Confession states that no one should publicly teach in the church or
administer the Sacraments unless he be called by the public ceremony
(nisi rite vocatus), which has historically been understood as referring only to the pastoral office (AC XIV, Triglotta, pp.48–49); and
Whereas, District and Synod programs currently offer lay ministry training for laypeople to preach and administer the Sacraments
publicly in LCMS congregations at worship, though this is contrary
to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions; and

181

Whereas, The Constitution of the LCMS states, “All matters of
doctrine and of conscience shall be decided only by the Word of God”
(Art. VIII C); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District in convention memorialize the Synod to rescind 1989 Res. 3-05B; and be it finally
Resolved, That currently serving lay ministers pursue a route leading to ordination, in keeping with Augsburg Confession Articles V
and XIV.
Minnesota North District
4-39

To Affirm Deacon Ministry in Synod
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has spoken
through Res. 3-05B at the 1989 Wichita Convention to allow for properly called, trained, and supervised licensed deacons to perform Word
and Sacrament ministry; and
Whereas, The need for licensed lay ministry has been affirmed by
past Synod conventions in order to meet the ongoing need for Word
and Sacrament ministry to those congregations and preaching stations
that would otherwise not have such vital ministry; and
Whereas, The need for such ministry is increasing as the number
of “noncalling” congregations continues to rise; and
Whereas, Augsburg Confession XIV does not include a requirement for ordination to properly provide such ministry to such locations
that cannot provide ordained clergy for ongoing ministry; and
Whereas, The licensed deacons of our Synod have faithfully performed their ministry in such locations according to their calling and
training as permitted by convention resolutions of our Synod; and
Whereas, The elimination of the ministry of licensed deacons to
perform Word and Sacrament ministry would eliminate the regular
exercise of the Means of Grace for congregations in approximately
half of the districts of our LCMS; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Mid-South District in convention affirm the
decisions made by the 1989 Wichita Convention in Resolution 3-05B
to continue the practice of utilizing already accepted means of calling, training, and supervising licensed deacons to perform Word and
Sacrament ministry as requested by congregations and affirmed by
the district for the determined locations of ministry; and be it further
Resolved, That the Mid-South District give thanks to God for the
laymen who give of their time and personal resources to prepare and
serve as licensed deacons in our district and for the pastors who faithfully instruct and supervise the deacons; and be it further
Resolved, That the Mid-South District in convention urge the
Synod at the 2013 convention to affirm the deacon ministry and the
authority of the local congregation to authorize licensed deacons to
perform Word and Sacrament ministry on their behalf; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Mid-South District encourage the 2013 LCMS
convention to form a task force to present recommendations to the
2016 LCMS convention that will address concerns related to the
deacon ministry so that the Synod may be united in support of this
ministry.
Mid-South District
4-40

To Affirm and Encourage Lay Ministry Training
Whereas, Walther, in one of his ten theses on ministry (approved
by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in 1851) stated that “the
ministry of preaching is conferred by God through the congregation,
2013 Convention Workbook